Private sector strengths applied: good practices in disaster risk reduction from Japan

This document presents a selection of fourteen case studies focusing on good practices and lessons learned by the private sector in relation to the Great East Japan Earthquake of 11 March 2011. It highlights the role the private sector can play in disaster risk reduction (DRR), with a focus on the strong contributions made by private businesses across sectors, utilizing their core business strength(s).

The fourteen examples from diverse industries in Japan illustrate how the private sector can contribute to disaster resilience, recovery, and reconstruction through the application of their core business strength(s), beyond the forms of contribution typically made under the name of corporate social responsibility. They are grouped under the three strategic goals specified in the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). Each example concludes with a summary of: 1) what worked as good practices, 2) what lessons were learned, 3) practical tips for replication, and 4) how the case is connected to HFA. The concluding section of this publication ties the fourteen cases to five important take-home messages, and also links the points highlighted in the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2013 to specific cases that serve as illustration.

This publication is jointly presented by UNISDR Hyogo Office and Kokusai Kogyo, a Japanese geospatial information consulting firm, whose Chairperson and CEO is one of the 17 members of the UNISDR Private Sector Advisory Group for Disaster Risk Reduction (PSAG). It is intended to serve as a practical guide and a source of concrete ideas, not only to private sector companies looking towards further engagement in DRR, but also to public sector actors wishing to engage and/or partner with the private sector towards 2015 and beyond.